Solar Installation Checklist: Survey to Commissioning

A solar installation checklist for crews and supervisors, covering the site survey, mounting, DC and AC work, earthing, testing, commissioning and handover.

Published 20 August 2026 ยท 3 min read

Solar installations usually go wrong in small ways: a loose MC4 connector, an unlabelled isolator, a missing earth bond, a string wired with the wrong polarity. If every crew uses the same checklist on every job, you find these before the customer does. Adapt the list below to your equipment, local regulations and the manufacturers' instructions.

Site survey

  1. Photograph the roof, the meter and the distribution board
  2. Record roof type, condition, orientation and pitch
  3. Note shading at different times of day
  4. Measure the usable area and plan the panel layout
  5. Choose the inverter and battery location, with ventilation and access
  6. Plan DC and AC cable routes
  7. Record the existing supply, earthing arrangement and main breaker rating
  8. Note access, safety and working-at-height requirements

Mounting

  1. Confirm the structure can take the load
  2. Fix rails and mounts to the design, weatherproofing every roof penetration
  3. Check alignment and torque on all fixings
  4. Photograph the structure before the panels go on

Panels and DC side

  1. Record the serial number of every panel
  2. Mount panels and tighten clamps to the specified torque
  3. Make each MC4 connection fully and check it
  4. Wire strings as designed and label every string
  5. Route and secure DC cables, protected from UV, abrasion and sharp edges
  6. Fit DC isolators and surge protection where required

Inverter, batteries and AC side

  1. Mount the inverter and batteries with the required clearances
  2. Record inverter and battery serial numbers
  3. Connect the AC output through the correct protective devices
  4. Install earthing and equipotential bonding
  5. Label all isolators, breakers and the point of connection

Testing

  1. Check polarity on every string
  2. Measure and record open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current per string
  3. Test insulation resistance
  4. Test earth continuity
  5. Test AC protection

Commissioning

  1. Configure the inverter: grid settings, export limits and battery settings
  2. Start the system and confirm it generates as expected
  3. Set up monitoring for the customer, if supplied
  4. Photograph the finished installation, the inverter display and the labels

Handover

  1. Show the customer how to isolate and safely shut down the system
  2. Hand over warranties, manuals and test results
  3. Explain cleaning and maintenance
  4. Get the customer's signature

In Movtro

In Movtro each stage can be a separate job, or a stage of one job, carrying these checklist items. Mark isolation, polarity and testing as required, and the job cannot be completed without them. Test readings such as string voltage, current and insulation resistance are checklist questions in their own right, with a unit and an expected range. A reading outside the range is flagged and reports a problem on the job automatically. Crews add photos and capture the customer's signature on the lead's phone, with or without signal. Panels, inverters and batteries can be recorded as assets with serial numbers and warranty dates.

Movtro installation checklist template on a phone with required ticks, a photo of the finished install and test readings with allowed ranges.

See solar installation and maintenance management.